DESTINATION HealdsburgDISTANCE FROM MARIN 60 miles northTANKOF GAS

LE T’ S FACE I T: the bounty of the Bay Area spoils us. Miles of coastline, rolling hills for days, an abundance of produce and a never-endingstream of motivated people making the most of it all. Afew places deserve extra-special designation, ho wever,and Healdsburg is at the top of that list. Here visitorscan find world-class hospitality, inno-vative dining and fine wine galore, allsituated around a 19th-century plazathat anchors the town. Unscathed by last November’sfires, Healdsburg is open for business and ready for yournext adventure.

RIDE Skip the car and take in the surrounding natural
beauty with all your senses from atop a new hybrid
Giant bike. Cruising down country roads, you can go
any where from 8 to 17 miles through the Dry Creek
Valley and check out small and family-owned wineries
including Lambert Bridge, Bella, Dry Creek and Rued
Family Winery. Get a close-up of the grapes and vines,
learn about the growing process, taste the goods and
round out the journey with an alfresco lunch. Prices
start at $175. winecountrycyclingtours.com

DINE Attention to detail is every where apparentat Single Thread, Kyle and Katina Connaughton’srestaurant, farm and inn. The 55-seat dining spacefeatures mesquite wood floors, an open kitchenstocked with Japanese clay donabe ceramics and alayout that feels more like a house than a restaurant.

The decor, cuisine and omotenashi concept — spirit
of selfless hospitality — all point to the years the duo
lived in Japan. Example: every menu has a personal
note from Katina and all guests receive a small packet
of seeds that relate to something they enjoyed in the
meal. A nightly tasting menu, which can be customized to fit dietary preferences and restrictions, starts
at $295. singlethreadfarms.com

S TAY For the best night’s sleep in to wn no place beats
Hotel Les Mars. The 16-room hotel got a nod from
Relais & Chateaux and comes replete with all the luxe
amenities one could imagine, including Givenchy
toiletries, bath salts for every mood, complimentary French breakfasts, and daily wine and cheese
receptions. Guest rooms have antique furniture and
four-poster beds featuring the hotel’s signature feature
— customized mattresses only available through the
hotel (yes, you can buy them) and linen from Versai,
one of the largest manufacturers of Egyptian-cotton
bedding from Italy. Your dreams will never be sweeter.
hotellesmars.com

SOCAL CANNES In spite of
our professed regional loyalty
to Marin, there’s no denying the
allure of Orange County. With
palm trees, tons of swimmable
beaches, world-class shopping
and balmy weather, life behind the
Orange Curtain doesn’t seem too
shabby. But now there is a different set of curtains that’s garnering
the county a lot of attention —
movie theater curtains. The Newport Beach Film Festival, now in
its 19th year, has become the
fastest growing film festival in
the nation, drawing over 55,000
attendees. The festival shows big-screen features as well as action
sports film debuts and, much like
the Mill Valley Film Festival, hosts
galas and awards ceremonies.
Beyond film, the fest also holds an
in-depth architecture and design
series focused on the United Kingdom. Catch some flicks while you
nab some rays; the fun begins on
April 26 and goes through May 3.
newportbeachfilmfest.comK.P.